Clindamycin (Vaginal)

Brand Names : Cleocin, Dalacin

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For vaginal clindamycin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to clindamycin or lincomycin (e.g., Lincocin). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Vaginal clindamycin is used during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. It was found to cause birth defects in one strain of mouse, but has not caused problems in other animals. Vaginal clindamycin has not been reported to cause birth defects or other problems in humans.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether clindamycin used vaginally passes into the breast milk. Clindamycin taken by mouth does pass into the breast milk and has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies. Although most medicines pass into the breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are using this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of vaginal clindamycin in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of vaginal clindamycin in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking or using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of vaginal clindamycin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Stomach or intestinal disease, history of (especially colitis, including colitis caused by antibiotics, or enteritis) - Patients with a history of stomach or intestinal disease may have an increased chance of side effects including diarrhea